Dubai gives Air India's Dreamliner water canon salute

Dubai: Air India's dreamliner was welcomed with a traditional water canon salute on arrival at the Dubai International Airport.

The senior management of Air India in the UAE held a traditional function at check-in area of Dubai International Airport.

Air India Dreamliner. PTI

Traditional lamp was lit by the dignitaries as a mark of new beginning, which was followed by cutting of a cake during the function on Sunday.

All incoming and outgoing passengers were greeted with rose buds and first passengers were also felicitated with memento. A lucky draw of two complimentary business class tickets was also held.

The return flight from Dubai to New Delhi operated on Monday.

Air India, which ordered 27 Dreamliners six years ago, would get two more of these planes in the next few weeks. A total of eight of them would arrive by March next year, including five by December, while the national carrier would get six more in the 2012-13 fiscal.

The aircraft would ultimately become the mainstay of Air India's global operations and is key to its turnaround plan.

For Air India, the plane has been configured to have 256 seats -- 18 full-flat Business Class seats and 238 in Economy. It features a host of sophisticated technologies, including mood-lighting inside the cabin and large LCD display screens for in-flight entertainment.